A topnotch WordPress.com site

IH 851. 022 Fall 2013 MWF 3:00-3:50

Mosaic I is the first of a two-course series that explores the nature of the individual in society. By examining texts and other forms of material culture, we will consider several important themes that help us understand what it means to be human. These themes include Journeys, Self and Other, Community and Ways of Knowing/Faith.

Upon completion of the two-semester Mosaic sequence, students will be able to:

Read in its entirety an unfamiliar and problematic written text (theoretically, historically, or culturally challenging);

Recognize abstractions, large ideas, and implications associated with difficult written texts;

Make connections across disciplines, history and cultural boundaries;

Construct positions, arguments, and interpretations through textual analysis and evaluation; and

Produce thoughtful writing that reflects persuasive position and the conventions of academic discourse.

Required Texts:

In order to succeed in the course, you must have your own copy of each text, which you will annotate and bring to every class when a particular reading is assigned. Additional materials will be made available through the course’s blackboard site. Please be sure to purchase the specific editions listed below (exceptions noted), which can be found at the TU bookstore. Supplemental materials may be assigned and made available through Blackboard.

Love’s Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition. Ed. And Trans David and Sabrineh Fideler. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2006 (1577318903)

Assignments and Grading:

A

A-

B+

B

B-

C+

C

C-

D+

D

D-

F

100-93.00

92.99-90.00

89.99-87.00

86.99-83.00

82.99-80.00

79.99-77.00

76.99-73.00

72.99-70.00

69.99-67.00

66.99-63.00

62.99-60.00

59.00-0.0

4.0

3.67

3.33

3.0

2.67

2.33

2.0

1.67

1.33

1.0

.67

0.0

Quizzes (10%): Each week, we will have at least one brief unannounced reading quiz. The reading quizzes help to ensure that you comprehend the basic concepts in each text. The format will vary week by week: short answer, multiple choice, quotation id, essay, text annotation check, etc. Quizzes cannot be made up if you are absent (except for observance of a religious holiday), but I will drop your two lowest quiz grades.

Essay 1 (10%): Essay 1 will focus on making a contemporary connection to The Epic of Gilgamesh (detailed assignment will be posted on Blackboard).

Essay 2 (20%): Essay 2 will focus on a synthesis of two texts from the course (detailed assignment will be posted on Blackboard).

Midterm (15%): The Midterm will cover units I and II; the format will combine the various quiz styles to which you have already been exposed.

Final Project (15%): TBA on blackboard and reviewed in class.

Class Participation (15%): Participation and attendance are not the same. You will be evaluated on your ability to meaningfully contribute to class discussion. I will provide a class participation assessment for each student by the end of week 3.

Discussion Blog (15%): You will post 1 blog response/discussion question to each reading by 9 pm the night before it is first assigned for class. You will also respond to 2 other posts by 5 pm the night before our last assigned day for a reading. (See Discussion Blog Rubric on Blackboard for details and tips on how to do well on this assignment).

Attendance: The highest correlation to getting good grades in college is attendance! There are no excused absences in this course. IH guidelines state that if you miss more than two weeks of classes (6 classes), for any reason, you cannot pass this course. Students who miss class in observance of a religious holiday must make arrangements with me in advance to complete alternate quiz/class discussion assignments. More than two absences will affect your class participation grade. Chronic lateness will be treated as absences, so be sure to get to class on time, before I take attendance. If you experience a genuine emergency, you must contact me as soon as possible to discuss your status in the class.

Electronic Devices: Cell phones and other electronic devices are to be turned off in class unless I give permission for you to use them.

Classroom Etiquette: The subject matter in this course may be considered controversial by some students and may challenge some deeply held beliefs and perspectives. The purpose of this course is to engage in critical analysis of the ideas presented in the texts we read as well as by seminar members. It is crucial that all members of the class treat one another with respect. You are always welcome to respectfully disagree with one another’s views (including mine), but not welcome to attack any individual for holding these views or for sharing them in class. See http://www.temple.edu/vpus/resources/policies.htm for the complete policy on academic freedom.

Academic Support: The Intellectual Heritage Program offers tutoring for all IH students. The tutoring schedule for this semester will be posted to Blackboard as soon as it becomes available. All tutoring will take place in the IH lounge, 215A Anderson Hall.

This course is open to all students who meet the academic requirements for participation.

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280 to coordinate reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities.